| For years Donald Trump primed the mob that assaulted the Capitol. He attacked reality and those who dared contradict him. That's why on Jan. 6 journalists in Washington found themselves on the receiving end of an unstoppable stream of threats and vitriol. My colleague Kate Woodsome was at the Capitol. After a violent encounter, she felt overwhelmed, broken. "Journalists make order out of chaos to help others understand what's unfolding. Perhaps this allows the brain to protect itself in the short term. We did our jobs at the Capitol. We returned home," she writes. "In truth, Jan. 6 was too upsetting for the brain to process normally. We may tell ourselves we're 'rattled but fine.' But a nervous system flooded by trauma isn't fine." When we talk about protecting democratic institutions, we should keep in mind that these institutions, like the free press, would not exist without the people committed to their mission. "We need to understand that the toughness that makes journalists good at their jobs can also make them sick," Kate writes. "Keeping trauma in the shadows only reinforces a culture that lauds us for the courage we show under fire, rather than for the bravery of saying we're hurt."  (Ellen Weinstein for The Washington Post) Journalists remain calm amid chaos to help others understand what's unfolding. That toughness comes with a price. By Kate Woodsome ● Read more » | | | | Those who beat cops with American flags should serve long jail sentences, but we can't forget the plutocrats who egged them on. By Joe Scarborough ● Read more » | | | | As president, Donald Trump had the duty to intervene and stop the violence he unleashed. By George T. Conway III ● Read more » | | | We must work together to prevent the events of that day from happening again. By Jason Crow and Susan Wild ● Read more » | | | | Now we need accountability. By Brian Klaas ● Read more » | | | | Our tradition of political violence is in our DNA. And it is unlikely to end in this recent and deadly chapter. By James Hohmann ● Read more » | | | It's even more crushing than our PPE shortages at the beginning of the pandemic. By Sarah N. Cross ● Read more » | | | | The nation has abundant reasons to regret its mistreatment of Native Americans, but the cost of this law has been exorbitant. By George F. Will ● Read more » | | | | Some sponsored articles are headlined in ways that make them sound like news reports. By Helaine Olen ● Read more » | | | | Fox News has paid a star anchor millions of dollars to essentially work for someone else. By Erik Wemple ● Read more » | | | This region could be threatened for generations as climate change alters the world. By Micaela Edelson ● Read more » | | | | Pennsylvania gubernatorial hopeful Josh Shapiro is betting the future of our democracy will matter to voters. By Greg Sargent ● Read more » | | | | If you can't get the president on your side in a primary, go after the Yosemite Sam vote. By Paul Waldman ● Read more » | | | | Mitch McConnell's cynical offer gives Joe Manchin an excuse to do nothing. By Jennifer Rubin ● Read more » | | | |
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